1. **Who we are**

Amna envisions a world where refugees can shape their futures, free from the impact of trauma, conflict, and displacement. We are a refugee-centred organisation, committed to expanding mental health support and community-led psychosocial services for displaced people. We work globally to fund, train and equip frontline organisations and humanitarians to deliver community-based, trauma and identity-informed care to people experiencing conflict and displacement. Our approach blends evidence-based methods with creative, cultural healing practices, offering communities safe spaces to grieve, express and release trauma and regain a sense of safety. By fostering safe spaces for healing, we aim to break the cycle of intergenerational trauma and address the long-term impact of displacement, creating lasting change.

**2. Background**

2026 marks the tenth anniversary of Amna's work in building healing-centred ecosystems that support communities affected by conflict, displacement, and systemic violence.

Amna began in 2016 as a direct service organisation in Greece (formerly Refugee Trauma Initiative). Since 2021, Amna has evolved into an international training, accompaniment, and capacity-building organisation that works through community-based and humanitarian partners across multiple regions, including:

- South Asia: Afghanistan, Pakistan
- Middle East & North Africa (MENA): Jordan, Lebanon, Palestine
- Europe, Eastern Europe & the Balkans: Greece, Ukraine, Poland, Moldova, Kosovo, Bulgaria, Romania, the UK, and others

Amna’s approach focuses on non-clinical, evidence-informed community-based healing care for communities living in or fleeing conflict and displacement who have experienced profound fear, uncertainty, grief, loss and trauma It prioritises rebuilding inner safety and self and co-regulation through culturally grounded, collective healing approaches including creative methodologies (movement, rhythm, storytelling, mindfulness, art), and values-led facilitation that fosters joy, belonging, dignity, and agency.

Over the past decade, Amna has commissioned multiple evaluations and learning studies across programmes and contexts. In its sixth year, Amna commissioned an external review conducted by the Harvard School of Public Health focused on its first six years learning and outcomes from its direct delivery work in Greece. The “Amna at 10” impact report will build on this foundation, with emphasis on drawing insights from Amna’s international work and partner-based programming since 2021.

**3. Purpose of the assignment**

Amna is commissioning a researcher, or an academic-affiliated research team, to produce an “Amna at 10” evidence synthesis that serves two complementary purposes:

**Level 1: Public-facing Impact Brief (sector audience)**

A concise, high quality, credible summary of Amna’s 10-year journey and Amna’s strongest outcomes evidence, expertise, and value-add to the humanitarian MHPSS landscape.

**Level 2: Deep Learning Synthesis (internal strategic learning product)**

A detailed synthesis of Amna’s evaluations, learning systems, and programme evidence that supports Amna’s key findings, and underpin Amna’s strategic evolution. This product must transparently examine what Amna does well, where it needs to place attention, which impact is strongest, key limitations and risks, and priority questions for Amna’s next chapter of of iteration, learning and research.

This is an evidence synthesis and interpretive analysis assignment. No new primary research is required, although a small number of staff interviews may be included to support interpretation and triangulation.

**4.Scope of work**

The selected researcher/team will:

**A) Evidence mapping and synthesis (2016–2026)**

Review and synthesise Amna’s evaluation and learning portfolio (2016–2025/26), including:

- Past evaluations and external assessments
- Country-level reports and programme learning products
- Training feedback, reflective logs, and implementation documentation
- Organisational learning studies
- Existing literature and external reviews (including the Harvard review)

Produce an evidence map that organises findings across:

- Levels: individual, caregiver/family, community, organisational, institutional, ecosystem
- Outcomes: safety, regulation, belonging, joy, agency, wellbeing, protective relationships, sense of future.
- Programming areas/pillars: (e.g., community partnerships, Baytna/ECD & Dinami/Youth & Emerging Adults, Systems of Care, Global Healing Network, Public Offerings & Consultancies and Emergency Response where relevant)
- Context and constraints: e.g. crisis intensity, displacement patterns, Amna and partners capacity, resource constraints, safeguarding risks, remote accompaniment constraints

**B) Mechanisms of change and “active ingredients”**

Analyse patterns and mechanisms of change, what has had the greatest and most lasting impact on communities, partners, systems & why? What are the strongest outcomes identified? Is there a single or set of 'best measures' that summarise Amna's impact and efficacy?

Analyse Amna’s “active ingredients,” including: Organisational accompaniment, building communities of practice and ecosystem building (through: training + mentoring + reflective practice + tools + funding)

**C) Strengths, weaknesses, and conditions for impact**

Identify Amna’s strongest outcomes and most consistent contributions across contexts and programmes at an individual, community and organisational level impact.

Analyse where Amna struggles, where outcomes vary, and why.

Clarify the conditions under which Amna’s model works best (and where adaptation is needed). Are there any clear active ingredients across different contexts? Are there any recommendations for futureofarch to guide further understanding about this?

**D) Field positioning and contribution**

Situate Amna’s work within relevant scientific and practice literature (e.g., MHPSS, global mental health, trauma, identity and belonging, relational safety, community-led mental health and psychosocial approaches, caregiver–child connection, non-clinical, community & locally led interventions).

Articulate Amna’s contribution to field understanding and practice.

**E) Forward-looking recommendations and learning agenda**

Provide clear recommendations for Amna’s strategic evolution, including:

- Programmatic focus (what to deepen, adapt, stop, or prioritise)
- Evidence strategy (what Amna can credibly claim; where evidence should be strengthened)
- A next-decade learning agenda and pathways to generate field-relevant knowledge

**5. Suggested approach/methodology**

Applicants should propose a feasible, rigorous approach aligned with the timeline, likely including:

- Structured desk review and document analysis
- Evidence mapping matrix (outcomes, levels, pillars and context)
- A synthesis approach such as thematic synthesis, realist-informed synthesis and/or contribution analysis
- Optional: brief internal interviews with Amna's key staff to support interpretation only
- A light-touch validation step with Amna (to confirm accuracy, confidentiality, and interpretation)
- Clear articulation of evidence strength, limitations, and confidence levels

Amna will provide access to a curated evidence folder and relevant MEL frameworks (e.g., Theory of Change, learning questions, indicator frameworks, and data use approach) as well as support to help researchers navigate through the shared documents.

**6.Deliverables**

The research partner will deliver:

**A) Inception Note 2 to 4):** analytical framework, synthesis method, evidence sources, proposed outline, workplan, and timeline.

**B) Public-facing Impact Brief (donor/sector facing | 2 to 4 pages):** A clear narrative of Amna’s evolution and strongest outcomes in MHPSS sector language, grounded in evidence, suitable for public dissemination.

**C) Deep Learning Synthesis Report (internal | approx. 20 pages):** Detailed analysis answering the key questions above, including strengths, weaknesses, enabling conditions, limitations, and recommended strategic directions.

**D) Evidence & Claims Map (1 page):** A simple table or visual that clarifies: strong evidence / emerging evidence / gaps, with suggested claim language that is safe for external use.

**E) Future Research & Learning Agenda (1 page):** Recommended priority research questions and feasible pathways for the next decade (including suggested methods and preferred partnerships).

F) **Presentation Slide Deck**

**G) Optional: Academic abstract + journal submission proposal**

**7. Ethics, safeguarding, and data handling**

All work must align with Amna’s safeguarding and data protection standards, including:

- Confidentiality and privacy-by-design
- Informed consent for any staff interviews
- Anonymisation of individuals and sensitive cases
- Secure data handling aligned with GDPR principles and Amna policies
- No identification of partners or individuals in public deliverables without explicit approval

**8.Timeline**

- Researcher(s) selection and agreement: 30 March 2026
- Inception Note: 15th April 2026
- Public-facing Impact Brief : 15th May 2026
- Deep Learning Synthesis Report : 30 June 2026
- Evidence & Claims Map : 30 June 2026
- Future Research & Learning Agenda: 30 June 2026

**9.Required expertise**

Applicants may be individuals or teams. Lead researcher(s) preferred to be affiliated with a university department and demonstrate an ability to publish under that institutional affiliation, with institutional agreement.

**Required experience:**

- Expertise in MHPSS/global mental health, trauma- and/or identity-informed practice, and/or community-based psychosocial interventions.
- Expertise in humanitarian programming, with strong contextual understanding of forcibly displaced populations, including refugees and internally displaced people (IDPs).
- Demonstrable experience in evidence synthesis (mixed-methods).
- Publication record in peer-reviewed outlets.
- Ability to translate complex evidence into clear, compelling narratives for mixed audiences.
- Experience working in humanitarian/displacement-affected contexts.
- Ability to work to a rapid timeline with high-quality writing and analytical depth.

**Desirable:**

- Familiarity with implementation research, realist approaches, contribution analysis, or similar synthesis frameworks
- Experience producing donor/sector-facing evidence briefs

**10.Roles and collaboration**

The research partner will work closely with Amna’s MEL Lead and designated internal focal points to access evidence and clarify programme contexts.

Amna will provide access to documentation and be available for brief check-ins.

Amna retains the right to review outputs for factual accuracy, safeguarding, confidentiality, and brand risk prior to publication, while respecting academic integrity and independence of analysis.